Rotary Club of Perrine-Cutler Ridge/Palmetto Bay Adopts West Perrine Park

$25,000 to enhance Fit2Play Out-of-School and Summer Camp Programs

(MIAMI, March 17, 2014) — The Rotary Club of Perrine-Cutler Ridge/Palmetto Bay has committed $25,000 to West Perrine Park to enhance Fit2Play out-of-school and summer camp programming. The donation will be used to purchase needed supplies, provide additional homework help and introduce life skills training to program attendees. A check presentation was made by Rotary 6990 President Tayloe Perry and member Wilbur Bell at the 3rd Annual Wing Ding Cook-Off on March 2, 2014, at the Palmetto Bay Village Center. Miami-Dade County Commissioner Dennis C. Moss, West Perrine Park Manager Julia Banks, and Miami-Dade Parks’ Chief of Development Victoria Mallette, accepted the check on behalf of the Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade, the 501(c)3 which supports parks and parks programming.

“We are so grateful for the Rotary’s long history of service to our community, and this new commitment to enhance programming at West Perrine Park,” said Miami-Dade County Commissioner Dennis C. Moss, District 9. “Every child deserves access to quality recreation programs, and with this donation, we can do so much more to better the lives of children and their families.”

“The Rotary Club was in need of a long term project, something we could really sink our teeth into, something we could all participate in and share the wealth of knowledge and experience of the Club’s members,” said Perry. ‘We are committed to supporting the tireless work of Julia Banks and her staff.”

As part of the Rotary Club’s donation, once a month, volunteers will share life lessons with the park’s youth, serving as mentors and advocates.

“The Rotary Club’s generosity will go a long way toward benefitting the West Perrine community and the many children and families we serve through our many programs, including Fit2Play,” said Julia Banks, West Perrine Park Manager.

Nationally-recognized and determined by the University of Miami UHealth System to prevent obesity and decrease hypertension in children and adolescents, Fit2Play programs include homework help, physical recreation, nutritional education and an introduction to life sports, including golf and tennis.

Supported by Miami-Dade County Commissioner for District 8 and Board Vice Chair, Lynda Bell, the Wing Ding Cook-Off showcases the talents of local restaurants and individuals competing to prepare the best chicken wings. More than $5,000 was raised.

“It is through the very generous support of selfless individuals and organizations like our local Rotary Club, that our community’s many park programs actually flourish for the betterment of our youth and the overall community,” said Vice Chair Lynda Bell. “I share my esteemed colleague’s sentiments and congratulate both the Rotary Club of Perrine-Cutler Ridge/Palmetto Bay and West Perrine Park for their combined contributions toward improving our quality of life.”

About the Rotary Club of Perrine-Cutler Ridge/Palmetto Bay

The Rotary Club of Perrine-Cutler Ridge/Palmetto Bay Chas been serving the local community since 1960 and is one of several thousand Rotary Clubs that comprise the 1.2 million neighbors, friends, and community leaders who come together to create positive, lasting change in communities and around the world .

About the Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department

Nationally accredited, a three-time winner of the NRPA National Gold Medal Award and winner of the 2009 Florida Governor’s Sterling Award for excellence in management and operations, Miami-Dade County Parks is the third largest county park system in the United States, consisting of 260 parks and 12,825 acres of land. It is one of the most unique park and recreation systems in the world. Made up of more than just playgrounds and athletic fields, it also comprises out-of-school, sports-development, and summer-camp programs; programs for seniors and people with disabilities; educational nature centers and nature preserves; environmental restoration efforts; arts and culture programs and events; the renowned Zoo Miami and the Deering Estate at Cutler; the Crandon Tennis Center, home of the Sony Open; golf courses; beaches; marinas; campgrounds; pools; and more. For information about Miami-Dade County Parks call 3-1-1, or visit www.miamidade.gov/parks/.

About The Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade

The Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that supports the Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department’s effort to further develop Miami-Dade County’s world-class parks system for residents and visitors. Its mission is to create a healthier, more livable and sustainable Miami community by ensuring the implementation of the Parks Open Space Master Plan and the development of year-round park and recreation programs for local children, adults and people with disabilities. For more information, visit www.liveaparklife.org.